Main post updated! Solution is nearly ready, see url in second post for screenshots of my work.
Images and sources will be out within a few weeks.
Images and sources will be out within a few weeks.
[TABLET Z COMPETITION ENTRY]Multiboot solution [Updated 31/07/2013]
- Thread starter rayman
- Start date
Any new news on the multi boot?
Also I have a few questions, I'm apologize in advance if they've been answered before and I just skimmed over them.
Seeing as how we are unlocked, or have the ability to be, how will this differ from the kexec that was available for the Motorola phones and for the VZW GS3 before the insecure bootloader was leaked?
Will this replace TWRP or CWM as the recovery when installed/flashed?
If not how will we access it? Will it be an app or an add on to the recovery?
Will it allow for bootong off of the external SD card or only the internal?
Will it be similar to other dual boot/multi boot kernels/solutions where both ROMs will be installed at the same time so we can easily switch between them without having to restore nandroids or will it just be an automated nandroid switcher?
Sorry for the questions, this is just one of the projects I'm extremely excited about and I can't get enough news and information on it!!!!
Thanks for some good questions
It is pretty clear that I haven't been proactive enough in describing exactly what this provides (when the last few issues are fixed and I release it).. I'll answer in-line.This method is not really related, other than the 'kexec' name. It requires an unlocked bootloader.
It allows runtime replacing the kernel in RAM.
In essence, it replaces recovery AND the primary boot image for android. Once installed, when the tablet boots it will show the menu shown in my screenshots, (with an optional automatic timeout for booting primary). This menu can contain primary android, various recovery solutions, Ubuntu Touch and pretty much anything else.
Yes. It will allow booting off internal SD, external SD as well as USB harddisk/flashsticks connected via USB OTG cable.
Android images will generally need to be modified to support booting from external disk because of how android deals with partitions. This would also be the case with e.g. LittleKernel or any other bootloader. It's a limitation in android.
In essence, it loads a kernel off of flash/sd/usb and boots it from RAM. This means that you can easily switch between them without nandroid or anything. Choosing a different image doesn't modify the flash in any way (nandroid does!) - it just boots it for a single session.
This method will also easily allow for booting the same ROM with multiple different kernels depending on your mood.
As I said, questions are great
I'm a developer, so I make far too many assumptions as to what is obvious to people and what isn't Do let me know if any of my answers are unclear!
I have used for a long dual boot on SGS2 with Siyah Kernel ( http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1263838).
Are you trying to implement same init script for kernel ?
Are you trying to implement same init script for kernel ?
I'm not familiar with how that particular dualboot solution works, but this isn't some random init script hack. It's proper, actual multiboot.
However, this allows booting any number of entirely seperate boot.img, kernel & ramdisk (initscripts etc), including loading them off SD or USB.
As opposed to the nanddroid "dualboot" solutions, this doesn't modify the flash every time and hence doesn't have the same wear and tear on the flash.
Thanks for some good questions
This method is not really related, other than the 'kexec' name. It requires an unlocked bootloader.
It allows runtime replacing the kernel in RAM.
In essence, it replaces recovery AND the primary boot image for android. Once installed, when the tablet boots it will show the menu shown in my screenshots, (with an optional automatic timeout for booting primary). This menu can contain primary android, various recovery solutions, Ubuntu Touch and pretty much anything else.
Yes. It will allow booting off internal SD, external SD as well as USB harddisk/flashsticks connected via USB OTG cable.
Android images will generally need to be modified to support booting from external disk because of how android deals with partitions. This would also be the case with e.g. LittleKernel or any other bootloader. It's a limitation in android.
In essence, it loads a kernel off of flash/sd/usb and boots it from RAM. This means that you can easily switch between them without nandroid or anything. Choosing a different image doesn't modify the flash in any way (nandroid does!) - it just boots it for a single session.
This method will also easily allow for booting the same ROM with multiple different kernels depending on your mood.
As I said, questions are great
Those answers are EXCELLENT!!!!! You should copy that and paste it in the OP, questions and all, that way people will have a better understanding of it as well.
I have two more questions, seeing as how we will be booting a live image, similar to booting Ubuntu or similar from a USB or CD, will we be able to save the changes we have made to the ROM? Will there be a reboot menu (similar to the ones on CM, PA, etc) that says "shutdown and save changes" or will you just be able to shutdown and it automatically saves?
Will there be a way to make a nandroid so if we wanted to do away with the multi-boot but keep one of the ROMs we could easily by restoring a nandroid?
Thank you so much for all your hard work! I can't wait to see this in action and be able to use it!!!!! This will solve so many issues that present in other devices and their "dual/multi-boot solution." The only ones I have ever ran have been kernels that just boot nandroids in an easier manner than the normal CWM/TWRP nandroid restore. I am looking so forward to this it is unbelievable, this and a full functional AOSP ROM with PA features are the things that have me the most excited and this wins by a LARGE leap!!!!
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Premium HD app
---------- Post added at 08:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 PM ----------
I didn't see anything about that kernel supporting dual boot but if its anything like Devil kernel for the VZW Note 2 then it will be nothing like this multi-boot solution. Read the questions he answered for me and you should get a good idea of the differences. Pretty much its exactly like grub but it is a very nice GUI package.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Premium HD app
Last edited:
siyah kernel achieves multiboot by a modified cwm recovery
on boot there is a prompt to press a button(on sgs2 the home button) and you boot second rom or you just wait and you boot primary rom.however there is only one kernel so both roms should be able to boot from this kernel(on s2 that's not a problem because that kernel and mos other kernels support both aosp and stock roms) however i believe that grub-like solution is much better
Thats very very similar to Devil, I cannot wait for this solution! Im hoping the dev hasnt lost interest!!!!
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Premium HD app
I haven't
I've just been extremely busy lately - I'll fix up the last issues and make a WIP release as soon as I can can - real life and some other projects getting in the way atm
I haven't
I've just been extremely busy lately - I'll fix up the last issues and make a WIP release as soon as I can can - real life and some other projects getting in the way atm
That's completely understandable! I just hadn't seen you and got a little worried.
When you have a little time I posted a couple more questions above in response to your answering my first slew of questions, would you mind answering them. No rush at all, just when you have time.
If there's anything I can do to help you just let me know!
Sent from my SCH-I605 using XDA Premium HD app
Any chance to see a working multiboot in the next time ??
On xda are so many very nice proof of concept Images for Tablet-Z but up to now nothing for release....
Original 4.2.2 seems to be the best at this time > With GPS and HDMI ...
Therefore it would be great to have a stable multiboot to use Original but test and play with PacMan and Ubuntu.... without flashing 3times a day..
On xda are so many very nice proof of concept Images for Tablet-Z but up to now nothing for release....
Original 4.2.2 seems to be the best at this time > With GPS and HDMI ...
Therefore it would be great to have a stable multiboot to use Original but test and play with PacMan and Ubuntu.... without flashing 3times a day..
Hi, any progress with this, is it still under development?
Yes. It has been in hiatus for a bit due to other projects, but they are mostly done with now (See androidroot.mobi).
I'm planning to get back to this asap and get a first release out of the door.
I have been looking forward to this for quite a while. This is the main thing I am waiting on to unlock and start flashing! I can't wait until it is done!
Hi,
I'm looking if multiboot is ok. I'm planing to get tablet z soon, and need to know if I can do real multiboot (must likely with a ROM based on cm10.2-aokp and ubuntu touch or a linux distrib).
Thanks in advance for reply.
I'm looking if multiboot is ok. I'm planing to get tablet z soon, and need to know if I can do real multiboot (must likely with a ROM based on cm10.2-aokp and ubuntu touch or a linux distrib).
Thanks in advance for reply.
It'll never come out, projects like this where we don't have regular news are always gone before born. I was expecting that, even if i was hoping (and hope it again) that it'll be reality, but the promess is just a fiction. I'm sorry to say that, but it's most likely just a joke. Many people asked for news and no one reply. There is some other serious projects arround, maybe we can find some help on them. Forget this thread, a moderator should close it.
Sent from my SGP321 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Sent from my SGP321 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Similar threads
Top Liked Posts
-
There are no posts matching your filters.
-
8About:
The end-goal is to allow a graphical menu (similar to grub on PC's) that lets you boot different kernels (and ROMs - requires the ROM's to support it) from various media. This includes on-flash, SD based and USB but could theoretically also include network booting as well.
Method:
My current plan is to base the solution on the kexec-hardboot patches my mkasick. I've previously ported those patches to ASUS TF201 and my changes have then been adapted to Nexus 7 and is being used quite extensively.
At present time there is one big disadvantage to this method: It puts requirements on the target kernel. One of my goals in this project is to remove those requirements, so it will also work with stock unmodified kernels.
As far as the graphical part is concerned, the original plan was an extended KxecBoot(.org) or MultiBoot (based on TWRP).
After investigating the available solutions, I decided that I'd (shock-horror) implement my own. The current solutions seem overcomplicated to use and not exactly pretty to look at.
My solution, dubbed Hydra, is a simple - true-and-tried - grid of icons. It's based on recovery's minui graphics and the grid automatically aligns based on how many boot images are present. At present it is limited to 10 boot images, but this will be changed later.
The graphics rendering is optimized and will be improved further, possibly allowing for simple animations and such - but lets leave that for a v2
See screenshots in second post.
It works by reading a simple boot.ini, specifying name, icon, boot.img or raw kernel + ramdisk + cmdline. The device-specific commandline arguments required to boot the kernel will all features are automatically appended to the given cmdline, similarly to how the bootloader does it.
It is going to support multiple boot.ini's which are then merged to give the final set of images. This allows storing a boot.ini on e.g. microsd or usb storage and automatically get a suitable boot icon.
Source and images will come soon, there are a few minor issues that needs to be finished first.
Progress:
- Tablet arrived!
- 06/07/13: Kexec patches tested successfully! Kexec booting is a go!
- 31/07/13: Multiboot solution is nearly done
Links:
Stock kernel with patches
CM Kernel with patches
Kexec tools with hardboot patches
Credits:
Mike Kasick for thinking up the original kexec hardboot patches3Any chance to see a working multiboot in the next time ??
On xda are so many very nice proof of concept Images for Tablet-Z but up to now nothing for release....
Original 4.2.2 seems to be the best at this time > With GPS and HDMI ...
Therefore it would be great to have a stable multiboot to use Original but test and play with PacMan and Ubuntu.... without flashing 3times a day..
